Money tray and safety receptacle therefor



Dec. 23, 1930 c. 1-. JAMES MONEY TRAY AND SAFETY RECEP'TACLE 'TnEREFoh Filed April 24. 1929 6"Sheets- -Shet l IN VEN TOR. Char/'36 Tfim 66 BY 771722444 WM ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 23, 1930 v c. T. JAMES 1,736,160

MONEY TRAY ANDQSAFETY REOEPTACLB THEREFOR Fild April 24. 1929- 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. Char/e5 ZIJrme'S BY WmwM v A TTORNE YS.

Dec. 23, 1930 c. T. JAMES 1,786,160

MONEY TRAYAND SAFETY RECEPTACLE THEREFOR Filed April 24. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 4/ fzz @Y O 40 Z7 //0 ll' n I :50 /4 INVENTOR.

Char/66 7175/7765 BY WQMM77% A TTORNE YS.

Dec. 23, 1930 c. T. JAMES MONEY TRAY AND SAFETY RECEPTACLE THEREFOR Filed April 24. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTR. Char/6.5 T mes BY M ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 23,- 1930 c. T. JAMES 1,786,160

MONEY TRAY AND SAFETY RECEETACLE THEREFOR a Filed April 24, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet '6 f8 jfj 4/ M 42 x 3 l' f) v 7- f 47 INVENTOR. Char/e6 TJZV/WGG A TTOR NE Y5.

Patented Dec. 23, 1930 "UNITED sTrr.

CHARLES 1*; JAMES, or LOSANGELESpCALIFORNIA MONEYTRAY AL TD'SAFE'IY REGE-PTACLE THEREFOR Application in a April 24, 1929. Serial No. 357,870.

This invention relates to a tray and safe receptacle wherein the tray is movable to dump the articles thereon into the receptacle.

The device is especially useful for cashiers '5 and bank tellers and the like, and the word tray as used herein is employed to include broadly tills and shelves for holding articles wherein the shelf, tray or bottom of the tray is movable. The invention involves aliold- '10 ing device for retaining the tray in position, which holding device is operable to release the tray so that the latter maybe rocked and the articles thereondumped into a safe receptacle. Among the uses of this device is that as a safeguard against robbers, as it permits money or valuables disposed on the tray to be instantaneously dumped into and deposited in a receptacle making them diflicult of access.

The objects of this invention are to provide a'device of the character above described having any or all'of the following features A safe receptacle, a tray arranged to normally retain articles and operable to dump such articles into-the safe receptacle; means to hold the tray in article retaining position and operable by a trigger mechanismto re? lease thetray so that the latter maybe disposed in dumping-position yelectro-mechanical means for actuating the trigger mechanism; and details of construction contributing to simplicity, compactness and strength of structure together with certainty of operation.

These objects together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section througha device embodying my invention, with the trays in normal position; a slidable drawer being shown therein in closed positlong Figs. 2,

3 and 4 are sections as seen on the lines cor-.

respondingly numbered in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the device; Fig. 6 is a Fig. 8*is a section similar to Fig. 6, showing the trav holding mechanism in tray releasing position. f

Referring with more particularity to the drawings, a safe receptacle or cabinet is marked 10. This receptacle comprises a lower safe compartment and an upper tray compartment, designated respectively 11 and 12 in Figs. 1 and 7, there being no distinctline of division between the compartments. The receptacle may be made of metal suitably v strengthened and a door opening 13 is pro vided at the bottom for access by authorized persons thereto. This door opening maybe closed by a door 14: having a suitable lockQ Extending across the cabinetin the safe compartment is a baffle plate or shelf 15 and cooperating therewith is a baffle plate or shelf 16 which also serves as a bed for the tray forming apart of the drawer. A tortuous passageway or maze is formed, such that articles will gravitate downwardly into the bottom and will thereby be diflicult of access from the top. As shown, the receptacle has an upper wall 17, although such a wall is not essential to the inventive idea, but the details are being merely illustrative of a specific embodiment of the invention. An opening 18is provided at the front of the cabinet for access to theupper tray, and a s'lidable cover 19 is arranged so that the upper tray compartment may be closed. Abutment lugs or brackets are mounted on side walls of the cabinet for engagement by the upper tray.

The upper tray comprises a divided shelf including sections 21a and 21b pivotally mountedby'means of shafts 22a and 22b. The shelf sections are so arranged that their free ends when in normal position are contiguous as shown in Fig. 1, shelf section 216 being supported upon side extensions 210 of shelf section 21a. The extensions 210 are so disposed that when the shelf or tray is in dumpingposition as shown in Fig. 7 the section 21a will be supported by reason of the extensions 210 resting upon abutment lugs 20.

A drawer opening is provided in the cabinet below the tray above described, this drawer being indicated generally by 23. Drawer 23' has side walls 24a and 24b,the

drawer being provided with a bottom 25 and rearward extensions stepped upwardly from the bottom as indicated by 26. The drawer is slidably supported in the cabinet on rollers 27 operating in grooves 28 in the cabinet. The side walls of the cabinet are so spaced that the shelf sections 21a and 21?) are free to swing between the latter.

Pivotally mounted on shaft 29 within the drawer are side arms 30a and 30?) forming a portion of a drawer tray or shelf 31. The side arms are disposed to rest upon the plate 16 when the drawer shelf is in dumping position. Each of these arms are provided with offset portions to accommodate a shaft 32 for a rear drawer wall 33, the rear wall being pivotally mounted on the arms. Stop brackets 34a and 34b of spring leaf form are provided on the side walls of the cabinet for the back wall 33 to rest against when the tray is in normal position. The rear wall 33 is so arranged that when dropped as shown in Fig. 7, it will unoerlap the end of the drawer tray 31.

The drawer tray and arms will be moved with the drawer and are supported upon trip rollers or runners 35a and 35?). These rollers are iournalled in swingable brackets and the mechanisms supporting the rollers are similar. It will be suflicient to describe one roller and its mounting. Bracket 36 is pivotally mounted at 37 as best shown in Figs. 6 and 8, on a channel bar 38. The bracket 36 has an arm 39 pivotally connected to a link 40 which is connected by a pivotal joint to a catch or crank lever 41, the latter having a finger 42 to underlie and support the extensions 210 on the upper tray. The lever 41 has a finger 42 and when horizontal it will support the upper tray section. It will be noted that when the parts are in normal position as shown in Fig. 6, the joint between arm 39 and link 40 is substantially on dead center so that very little force tending to turn the bracket 36 is exerted by reason of the weight of the upper tray. Link 40 has a lug 43 outstanding therefrom for a purpose later described. The bracket is of T form with the normally positioned outer leg having a bevel 44 and provided on the side opposite to the bevel with an adjustment member 45. When the arm carrying the roller 35a is in horizontal position, the arm is disposed to support the tray 31, and, when in vertical position, the tray will have been released to dumping position. A U shaped lever 46 is pivotally mounted by pintles 47 upon L shaped brackets 48 connected to the channels. The lever has its yoke 49 extending through the cabinet side walls and is accommodated in arcuate openings 50. The arms of lever 46 may have a limited lateral movement on their pintles, and if made of resilient metal, the arms themselves will act as springs tending to position the arms at their inner position on the pintles. However, I have shown herein tension springs 51 which aid in tending to maintain the arms in their inner position. Each arm of lever 46 has a notch 52 which will engage the outer arm of the T bracket when the latter is in normal position. In engaging position of the notch, the lever will be positioned at the rear as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The upper tips of the arms of lever 46 are bevelled upwardly and outwardly as indicated by 53 so that when the lever is in its forward position, the bevelled end will underlie the lug 43 as shown in Fig. 8. With the parts in shelf retaining position as shown in Fig. 6, the trip mechanism elements are so disposed that the outer arms of brackets 36 underlie the notches 52, adjustment members acting as a part of the outer arms. Links 40 will be maintained in such positions as to hold the crank levers 41 with fingers 42 under the upper tray. The lower tray will ride on rollers 35a and 356. On movement of lever 46 to forward position, notches 52 are moved to release the outer arms of brackets 36, and the weight of the lower tray 31 will cause the brackets to be s vung downwardly and outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8. At the same time, the links 40 cause the crank levers 41 to be swung downwardly to the upper tray releasing positions. The tray 31 will then drop including the back wall 33, permitting any article resting thereon to be dumped and moved downwardly into the safe compartment.

Lever 46 is so weighted, that it tends to swing forwardly, and must be maintained in its rear position by some means, and herein I have shown an electro-magnetically operated trigger. The yoke 49 of the lever has a post 53 receivable in a pocket formed in a trigger 54, the latter being mounted in a channel housing 55 secured to the cabinet. The lever is weighted on the arm opposite to the pocket so that it tends to maintain the pocket in upper position. The trigger arm comprises an armature for an electromagnet 56. Upon energization of the electromagnet, the pocket arm of the trigger is moved downwardly by the electromagnet to the position shown in Fig. 7. In this position, it will have released the post 53 and the lever 46 will have swung forwardly by its own weight.

The particular structure shown herein is adaptable for bank tellers or cashiers, the trays being suitable for receiving money and valuables, the drawer being shown with loose boxes for convenience in holding currency, the cashier or teller being at the front. The parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. A wiring system is provided so that by closing the circuit from a switch, such as a button, the electromagnet 56 will be energized, actuating the trigger and tripping the trays, the money and valuables then being dumped into the safe compartment where they are secure for a limited time against access except through the door 14., Thus, when the teller or cashier is about to be robbed, he can operate the switch, or someone else can do so to dump the valuables into the safe compartment. Obviously, there may be several devices of this character, and all operated simultaneously from a single electrical circuit. When tripped, the mechanism as shown in Fig. 8 will be so disposed that the lugs 43 will rest upon the bevelled tips of arm 46, and the parts will be maintained in such position that the trays may be easily restored to their normal position without interference from the trip rollers and levers which may then be set to support the tray.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having a chute for passage of articles thereinto; a slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of said chute, supports carrying rollers for said tray to ride upon, said tray being pivotally mounted so as'to be disposable in article dumping position and to deliver articles to said. chute, said supports being retractable to enable said tray to move to dumping position, said tray tending to swing to dumping position, a trigger mechanism to normally hold said supports with said tray in article retaining position and operable to enable retraction of said supports and release said tray whereby to dump the articles into said chute and thence into said receptacle.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having a chute for passage of articles thereinto; a slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of said chute, said tray being pivotally mounted on said receptacle so as to be disposable in article dumping position and to deliver the articles to said chute, said tray tending to swing into dumping position, supporting arms pivotally mounted on the sides of said receptacle carrying runners for said tray to ride upon, said arms being pivotally protractable to support said tray in sliding position or retractable to release said tray, a trigger mechanism to normally hold said arms in protracted position and operable to enable retraction of said supports whereby to release said tray and dump the articles into said receptable. V

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having a chute for passage of articles thereinto; a

slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of said chute, said tray being pivotally mounted on said receptacle so as to be disposable in article dumping position and to deliver the articles to said chute, said tray tending to swing into dumping position, supporting brackets pivotally mounted on the sides of said receptacle carrying runners for said tray to ride upon, said brackets being pivotally mounted to protract said runners and support said trayinsliding position or to retract saidrunners to release said tray, fingers'onlsaid bracket, atrigger mechanism to normally hold said brackets with-said runners in protracted-position and operable to enable, retraction of said fingers whereby :to release said tray and dump the articles into said receptacle, said trigger mechanism including linksmovable "to a position to engage said fingers, with said runners in protracted position or to aposition to release said runners, y

at, In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having achute for passage of articles thereinto; a 'slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of saidchute, said tray being pivotally mounted on said receptacle-so as to be disposable in article dumping position and to deliver the articles to saidchute, said tray tending to swing into dumping position,:supportin brackets pivotally mounted on the sides OI said receptacle carrying runners for said tray to ride upon, said'brackets being pivotally mounted to protract said runners and support said tray insliding position or to retract said runners to releasesaid tray, fingers on said, bracket, a trigger mechanism to ,normally hold said-brackets with said runners in protracted position and operable to enable retraction of said fingers whereby to release said tray-and dump the articles into said receptacle, said trigger mechanism including a pendulous pivoted. yoke having links movable-to a position to engage said fingers with said runners iniprotracted position or tea position to release said runners, said yoke tending to position itself with said links in bracket retracted position, a trip to hold said yoke in bracket protracted position, and means to operate said trip and re lease said yoke.

-5. Ina device'oithe character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having a chute for passage of articles thereinto; a slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of saidchute, said tray being pivotally mounted on saidreceptacle soas to be disposablein article dumping p ositio'n' 'a'nd to deliver the articles to said chute, said tray tending to a swing into dumping position, supporting brackets pivotally mounted on the sides of said receptacle carrying runners for said tray to ride upon, said brackets being pivotally mounted to protract said runners and support said tray in sliding position or to retract said runners to release said tray, fingers on said bracket, a trigger mechanism to normally hold said brackets with said runners in protracted position and operable to enable retraction of said fingers whereby to release said tray and dump the articles into said receptacle, said trigger mechanism including a pendulous pivoted yoke having links movable to a position to engage said fingers with said runners in protracted position or to a position to release said runners, said yoke tending to position itself with said links in bracket retracted position, a trip to hold said yoke in bracket protracted position, and means to operate said trip and release said yoke.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a safe receptacle having a chute for passage of articles thereinto; a slidable article retaining tray at the inlet of said chute, said tray being pivotally mounted on said receptacle so as to be disposable in article dumping position and to deliver the articles to said chute, said tray tending to swing into dumping position, supporting brackets pivotally.mounted on the sides of said receptacle carrying runners for said tray to ride upon, said brackets being pivotally mounted to protract said runners and support said tray in sliding position or to retract said runners to release said tray, fingers on said bracket, a trigger mechanism to normally hold said brackets with said runners in protracted position and operable to enable retraction of said fingers whereby to release said tray and dump the articles into said receptacle, said trigger mechanism including a pendulous pivoted yoke having links movable to a position to engage said fingers With said runners in protracted position and 0perable to enable retraction of said fingers whereby to release said tray and dump the articles into said receptacle, said trigger mechanism including a pendulous pivoted yoke having links movable to a position to engage said fingers with said runners in protracted position or to a position to release said runners, said yoke gravitatively tending to 40 position itself with said links in bracket retracted position, a trip to hold said yoke in bracket protracted position, and electromagnetic means to operate said trip to release said yoke.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of April, 1928.

CHARLES T. JAMES. 

